Fluid heating and pressure generation.



B. THOMSON. FLUID HEATING AND PRESSURE GENERATION.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.21| l19H5.

Patented A110". 114.1917.

WILLIAM B. THOMSON, OF GHICVAGO, ILLINOIS.'

FIQ..

FLUID HEATING AND PRESSURE GENERATION.

Specicationof LettersPatent.

Patented Aug'. Me, 19317.

Application filed August 21, 1916. Serial No. 116,212.

To all 107mm t may concern:

Be it known that I, TrLLrAM B. THOMSON, a citizen of theV United States, and aresident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fluid Heating and Pressure Generation, of which the following is a specication. j j

My present invention has relation to improvements in fiuid heating and pressure generation and has for its special object the greater conservation and utilization of the thermal energy employed in fluid heating and pressure generation.

I accomplish the above objects in the manner hereinafter described, which may be accomplished by means of a structure such as is illustrated in the appended drawing, showing a sectional view of a single unit structure. by means of which my invention may be utilized.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, the general practice has been to employ a container or boiler for the water or other fluid which it is desired to heat or generate pressure with, and to heat the container so that the heat must pass through the walls thereof to the contained iuid. This involves large losses of thermal energy in transmitting the heat through the walls of the container and in radiation.

My present invention consists essentially of introducing into the water or fluid which is to be heated or with which pressure is to be created, a combustible mixture and to ignite the same while it is entirely surrounded with the water or pressure producing fluid. In this manner all of the thermal energy developed by the combustion must be either imparted to the water, or if unabsorbed gases under compression still remain, the same will be contained within the pressure-developing chamber or casing and will themselves enhance the aggregate of fluid pressure produced through the absorption Lof the thermal units by the surrounding water.

For the sake of clearness, I have illustrated an extremely simple form of device which, though elemental in detail, clearly illustrates the method of operation. In the drawing I have shown a central vertical section of a heating or pressure retaining chamber or boiler by means of which my invention may be practised. It will be understood that the units herein described may be indenitely multiplied and considerably modified withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or the method of operation thereof as set forth in the appended claims. 60

I. have illustrated the pressure-developing chamber asl consisting of: a casing, l, covered by a suitable closure, 2, preferably in the top of which is provided a' relief valve, 3, of any suitable design, which may be set so that 55 interior pressure will be relieved long before the walls ofthe casing are put under dangerous strain. Depending from the closure, 2, to a point well down into the casing, is a pipe or tube7 4, terminating in a down- 7c wardly opening bell or funnel, 5. Introduced through the closure, 2, and the tube, 4, is a suitably insulated electric circuit, 6, terminating in the dome of the bell or funnel, 5, in sparking points, 7.

Also preferably, but not necessarily, introduced through the wall of the closure, 2, is a fuel injection pipe, 8, the lower end of which extends suiciently far into the container to be bent up under the dome or 80 bell, 5.

In the practice of my invention, water is placed in the chamber of the casing, 1, in a suflicient quantity so that. its surface will come well above the bell or funnel, 5. A combustible mixture of gas is then injected into the casing through the pipe, 8, which collects in the top of the bell or funnel, 5. The combustible mixture of gas is then ignited by causing a spark between the sparking points, 7

The sparking may be eifected automatically by maintaining a sparking current in the circuit, 6, which will harmlessly pass between the sparking, points, 7, s0 long as they are surrounded by water, but which circuit will be interrupted and a spark created just as soon as suflicient combustible mixture has accumulated in the top of the bell or funnel, 5, to force the water down below the sparking points.

The sparking may also be caused by any suitable well-known sparking means, mechanically operated and synchronized with the gas-injecting means employed so that a spark will occur when the desired amount of combustible mixture has accumulated in the top of the bell or funnel, 5.

It will now be seen that as the combustion takes place, entirely surrounded by the water, all thermal units are either absorbed by the water, or, if any gas remains unabsorbed, it will go to enhance the pressure created by the evaporation of the water.

Having described my invention,V what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A iuid heating and pressure generating apparatus comprising a casing forming a pressure fluid containing chamber, a pipe depending from the top wall of said casing and within said chamber, a downward opening member carried upon the lower end of said pipe, an inlet pipe for a combustible mixture entering said casing the outlet end whereof is located beneath said member, and an ignition circuit leading through said first mentioned pipe and having sparking points extending into said member.

Q ,A fluid heating and pressure generating apparatus comprising a easing forming a pressure Huid containing chamber, a pipe depending from the top wall of said casing and within said chamber, a downward opening member carried upon the lower end of said pipe, an inlet port for a combustible mixture located beneath said member, and an ignition Circuit leading through said pipe WILLIAM B. THOMSON.

Witnesses:

L. R. ERSKINE, BENJ. T. ROODHOUSE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by-addressng the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

